OXFORD, Ohio -
Former Miami University defenseman Alec Martinez joined an elite club Monday night as he became just the third former RedHawk hockey player to win the Stanley Cup after helping the Los Angeles Kings claim the NHL’s ultimate crown. The Kings earned a 6-1 victory at home Monday to close out the Stanley Cup Finals series with the New Jersey Devils, 4-2.

Dan Boyle, who played at Miami from 1994-98 and now suits up for the San Jose Sharks, was the first former Miamian to lift the Stanley Cup, doing so with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. Just two years later, Kevyn Adams (1992-96), now an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres, became the second RedHawk to win the Stanley Cup, doing so with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

Martinez, who hails from Rochester Hills, Mich., played a big role for the Kings in the playoffs in just his second full season with the team (and in the NHL) and third overall with Los Angeles. He played in all 20 playoff games, helping L.A. to a 16-4 postseason record, while totaling three points on a goal and two assists. He also had a +5 rating while collecting eight penalty minutes.

Of his three points, two came in the Stanley Cup Finals, including his first career NHL Playoff goal. Martinez scored the goal in game three on June 4, a 4-0 Kings win, and his goal was the game-winner since he scored the first goal of the night. He picked up his second assist of the playoffs in game two of the Finals June 2 in New Jersey, handing out a helper on the Kings’ overtime goal that gave them a 2-1 victory. His first point of the 2012 playoffs came in L.A.’s first game April 11 as he had an assist in the Kings’ 4-2 victory over top-seeded Vancouver.

During the Stanley Cup Finals, Martinez helped limit the Devils to just eight goals in six games and had a positive plus/minus rating in three of the six games, posting a +3 rating in the Finals. He saw the most ice in game two, skating 25 shifts while logging 15:54 of ice time. He nearly picked up a third assist of the postseason on the Kings’ second goal in Monday’s clinching game six, as he was originally given the assist, before having it taken away because of a deflection. He was on the ice for three of L.A.’s six goals Monday, however.

During the regular season this year, Martinez played in 51 games, scoring six goals and tallying six helpers for 12 points. He appeared in six playoff games last year, dishing out one assist, his first career playoff point.

Miami also had an alumnus on the losing side, as defenseman Andy Greene (’06) played in all 24 playoff games for New Jersey. He notched his lone assist of the postseason April 15 against the Florida Panthers and had a +1 rating for the playoffs.

In his three years at Miami, Martinez earned All-American honors as a junior in 2007-08, his last year at Miami, while also garnering First-Team All-CCHA and CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman that same year. As a freshman, he helped the RedHawks win the 2005-06 CCHA regular-season championship, just the second in program history (at the time), while playing alongside Greene, who was then a senior captain. During his Miami career, Martinez totaled 32 points on nine goals and 23 assists.

A complete story on Martinez and Greene making the Stanley Cup Finals is available here.